A select five-game NBA slate is on tap for Thursday, with ten teams set to tip off across the association. Still, plenty of big names are expected to take the floor, including Trae Young, LeBron James, and Anthony Edwards. With so few stars in action, narrowing down who to start in season-long fantasy and DFS formats is a difficult task. Here are the three guards at the top of tonight’s fantasy basketball rankings:
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1. Anthony Edwards, Minnesota Timberwolves at UTA ($9,500)
The Timberwolves, for all their flaws, are still alive in the Western Conference playoff race with a 26-21 record. Minnesota would be lottery-bound without the efforts of Anthony Edwards. Through 47 games, the All-NBA selection has averaged 26.4 points, 5.7 rebounds and 4.4 assists while shooting 44.4% from the field (41.8 3PT%). The guard has taken more three-pointers this season, career-high 9.8 attempts per game from long distance.
Ant-Man has been on a scoring tear recently, notching 30 or more points in four of his last seven outings. That trend should continue on Thursday against a woeful Jazz defense. This season, Utah has surrendered the third-most points per game to opponents (119.8) and the fifth-most fantasy points to shooting guards. Over the last four meetings between these two teams, Edwards has scored at least 30 points. All signs point to the 23-year-old as the top dog on tonight’s fantasy basketball rankings.
2. Trae Young, Atlanta Hawks at CLE ($9,800)
It’s been a tough week for the Hawks, as the team announced that forward Jalen Johnson would miss the rest of the season due to shoulder surgery. Without its second-best player, Atlanta needs Trae Young now more than ever. The three-time All-Star has been a mixed bag this season. A league-leading 11.4 assists have overshadowed subpar efficiency (40.2 FG%, 34.2 3PT%).
The point guard’s workload should increase without Johnson, giving him a massive floor for counting stats. However, against some of the game’s better defenses, double-double performances won’t come so easy. That might be the case tonight against the Cavaliers. This season, Cleveland has allowed the 11th-fewest points per game in basketball (110.5). Young deserves mention on this list, but there are other options worth considering for your fantasy lineups on Thursday.
3. Ja Morant, Memphis Grizzlies at HOU ($8,900)
A terrific season for the 31-15 Grizzlies has been made more impressive by the middling play of Ja Morant. The 25-year-old has still been effective, but his numbers don’t jump off the page Through 28 games, he’s posted 20.3 points, 4.2 rebounds and 7.5 assists. Mediocre shooting (44.5 FG%, 30.6 3PT%) and injury issues have made it difficult for fantasy managers to trust the former Rookie of the Year.
The biggest factor in the point guard’s favor is what team he’s on. The Grizzlies play at the fastest pace in basketball (104.48), allowing for extra possessions compared to most squads. Thursday’s opponent, the Rockets, wield one of the NBA’s best defenses. Still, that hasn’t had much of an effect on Morant; he’s tallied at least 24 points in all three meetings with Houston this season. On a thin slate, the two-time All-Star makes some sense as a cheaper alternative to Young and Edwards.
*Morant (shoulder) is questionable for tonight’s game vs. the Rockets.
